Hi–
Over the weekend, I jumped at the chance to lead a group of student volunteers in Maryville, Tennessee to call out the largest gun manufacturer in the country, Smith & Wesson, during the opening of their new headquarters.
As a young person from Tennessee and as a student who has grown up with the paralyzing fear of gun violence, I am fed up with the gun industry operating their #KillerBusiness and profiting while we are paying with our lives. And I know I'm not alone.
Join me and Students Demand Action by adding your name to our petition telling Smith & Wesson to change its practices.
Guns are the number one killer of my generation. Not car accidents. Not illness. GUNS. I've watched as our country's gun violence crisis has raged on while the gun industry rakes in multi-billion dollar profits at the expense of our safety.
For over 100 years, Smith & Wesson was headquartered in Massachusetts, but they just moved to Tennessee—why?
Citing proposed legislation that could have banned Smith & Wesson from producing assault weapons, they put profits before people once again to keep making and selling assault weapons.
So while their CEO and elected officials were cutting the ribbon to their new HQ, we sent them a message over their new offices to let them know they are not welcome in Tennessee.
Our message to Smith & Wesson and the gun industry is simple: My generation is breaking this cycle of gun violence they helped create.
We will no longer sit by while companies like Smith & Wesson continue with business as usual.
Support Students Demand Action by joining us to demand accountability from Smith & Wesson.
It will take all of us to hold this #KillerBusiness accountable.
Thank you for taking action,
Iman Omer
She/Her/Hers
Vanderbilt University
Students Demand Action
